Canine Biting Louse (Trichodectes canis)

Unlike most ticks and other parasites, the 2,800 species of biting lice that have been identified worldwide are very host-specific. Trichodectes canis, which belongs to the wingless insect suborder Mallophaga, is the louse species that most commonly feeds upon domestic dogs, as well as wild canids such as wolves, coyotes, jackals, and foxes.